Instant action maps

[ssuser]

Probably a dumb question for longtime bz2 players, but how do you set up IA maps for bz2? I follow directions, putting the mission under data/missions/instant/etc, the dll under missions, and the other stuff in the addon, but all i get is an empty map to drive around on, and on a couple maps a few enemies. This on WinXp, with both original game and 1.2 patch (I'm going to install the latest 1.3 beta once I get around this problem).

Also, is there a link for a really good IA map making tutorial for bz2? I've got some basic stuff, like the pandi doc, but would like more.

[Nielk1]

Are you using a custom DLL or are you using the stock Instant Action mission DLL?

[GSH]

First off, no matter what patch you're using, do not place any files in the data folder. That folder is for the base install. Put new stuff in 'addon', which is what the folder's name is supposed to convey.

If the IA map has a custom DLL, BZ2 DLLs are tied somewhat to the BZ2 patch. BZ2 1.0/1.1 patches can load/run DLLs made for BZ2 1.0/1.1, only. BZ2 1.2 and up use a slightly different format. BZ2 1.3 can generally load/run all 1.2 DLLs, as long as you run bzone.exe. If you use the editor build of 1.3 (bz2edit.exe), it can only read DLLs compiled for use with bz2edit.exe.

The more information you provide as to what map(s) you're trying to load/run, the more we can help you.

-- GSH

[ssuser]

Hmm, I can see about the dll problem, but this happens even with maps that have no dll. You say NOTHING goes in the \data folder? The maps I have looked at say: Make a folder under the \data\missions\instant folder for the map, use the same name as the map name. Copy all files to this folder. Then copy the dll (if present) to the top missions folder right under main bz2 folder, then aip, odf, etc. go to the addon. If this is not right, can you post a simple example of how a very simple map should go into the directory structure? I am a bit confused here.

Is there any pathing issue under XP, like a cfg file of some sort that needs to be altered?

[General BlackDragon]

Then the maps you have looked at are very, very old. Alot of the older maps available on bz2maps.com unzip to data/missions. This was originally the idea, since BZ2 1.0 - 1.1 seemed to have most of it's maps in there.

The data folder is very old. 1.2/1.3 pb5.1 used addon/missions/...

1.3 moved most of the maps to a new "maps13" folder, which works similarly to addon, but is a way to separate maps from any other "addons" that users might install. This way things stay more organized.

As for DLLs, they would work under any "FOLDER/missions/" folder. Could be BZ2 "missions" folder, though it'd not recommended to put them there. Could be "addon/missions" or even "maps13/missions" You can also add a new folder to your bzone.cfg and put things under a mission folder in there. i.e. "ssuer/missions"

XP/Win7 shouldn't make any difference.

[Red Devil]

maps under addon need to have this folder structure, otherwise they will not be found:

addon\missions\instant and addon\missions\multiplayer

the addon folder has to be in the root of your install.

Instant Action (IA) maps go in the instant folder, multiplayer maps go in the multiplayer folder